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r1 'In PATBNTEDMAR. 13,1906.

" ls. ROMAIN. RAILWAY SIGNAL. PPLOATIQN FILED JULY 13, 1906.

ENTOI? 077261172,

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UNITED srArEs' PATENT OEEIOE. Y

srEPI'IENBOMAIM OE NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA, AssIcNOB O'E ONE- HALE ro TBAYNEBE BAPTISTE, OE MOBILE, ALABAMA.-

RAILWAY-SIGNAL.

Specication of LettersPatent Patented March 13, 1906.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, STEPHEN ROMAIN, re-

siding at New Orleans, in the parish of Or`V leans and State of Louisiana, have invented certain new and useful Im rovements inRailway-Signals, of which the ollowing is a speciiication.

My invention relates to certain new and useful im rovements in railroad-signals; and

it particu arly seeks to provide an improvement in`signaling devices Jfor notifying running trains on a single-track railroad of trains approaching from an opposite direction by sounding an alarm-bell in the engineers cab: and the invention primarily consists in cer` tain novel construction, combination, and ar-` ally showing my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is an enlar ed detail perspective view oi one of the bellf locks.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of one oiV .the trigger devices.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on the line 5 5 of Fig.4 4. Fi 6 is a detail dia ammatic plan view of a s ightlymodiied orm of my invention, showing the same as applied for use to indicate the position oi a switch. Fig. 7 is a detailperspec'- ti've view of a part of my invention.

Referring now 'to the accompanying draw'- in s, in which like numeralsv of reference iniiicate like parts in all of the iigures, 1 designates the track-rails, which are mounted on the usual cross-ties 2.` At each side oi the track my improved signal-operating mechanismis disposed, and this mechanism comprises a plurality'of housings kor casings 3, spaced a suitable distance apart,prefer ably one mile apart, in each of which hous` ings 3 a trigger 4 is ulcr'umed on a pivot-stud or axis 4a, and the trigger 4 projects out through an o ening 3f)L in the top of the hous- -ings and is ormed with a striker-engaging `en'd4b,asshown.-

5 5 designate rod members pivotally secured to the triggers 4, as at 4"', and have their other ends pivotally secured at 5a to a horizontally-disposed lever 6, which is centrally fulcrumed, as atfa', to a stud or post 6b, secured to one of thecross-ties 2.

Disposed adjacent one housing 3 is a supplemental lever 7, which is pivotally mounted midway its ends at-78L to a stud 7b, secured to the cross-tie 2, and the lever7 has one of its ends connected to'one lever 6 by a rod 8, which is pivotally secured to the levers 7 and 6 at 8a 8a, as clearly shown inFig. 1l of the drawings. The other lever 6 and thelever 7 vhave their` other ends 6G '7c connected by a cable or chain 9 of approximately one mile in length, andthe chain 9 passes over guide-rollers 9a 9a, spaced asuitable distance apart along the line, as shown. I

Arranged at intervals of approximately oneeeighth mile apart between the levers 6 and 7 are a plurality of what I term bell-4 blocks 10y 10, each of whichcomprises an elongated member of substantial Wedge shape in cross-section, which is ulcrumed on an axis 10b .10b, secured to the cross-ties 2, as shown, and .the axis 10at terminates in a crank 10?, which is connected to a cable or chain 9, as shown. 1

11 designates what i term a resting-- block for' the bell-block 10 when in its de pressed osition, as `will be more clearly understoo` hereinafter. The trigger mechanisms T T and the' tion of my signaling -mechanism, and these sections are disposed end to end alon the env set of trigger devices at each half-mile, first roo on one side of the track and then on the other, as diagrammatically lshown inv Fig. 1. f

-12 designates a striking iron. or block secured to the 'train or locomotive in any de? "intermediate: connections constitute one sec' sired and approved manner, which block 12 v is adaptedto engage the4 end 4b ofthe trigger 4to depress the same, the triggers of the several studs or-l sections of my signal-operating 'mechanism being arranged in pairs, as. bc-

, mechanisms at each end of fore mentioned, so that when one trigger is depressed the other at the other end will-be elevated, and vice versa.

13 designates a bell-operating lever pivotally secured to the locomotive on the side opposite the trigger-striking block 12 and arranged to engage the bell-blocks l0 10 and to be operated thereby. The bell-striking lever 13 connects with a cable or cord 14, which passes into the engineers cab-of the locomotive and connects with the striking-arm 15of a bell or gong 16, as shown, so that when the bell-striking lever 13 engages a bell-block 10 the bell 16 in the engineers cab will be rung.

So far as described the manner in which my invention operates will be best explained by reference to Fig. 1 of the drawings and as follows: Assuming a locomotive to be moving from left to right in Fig. 1, as the striking iron or block 12 engages thelever 4 the same will be depressed, thus causing the bell-blocks 10 to be elevated and the lever 4 at the other end ofthe section to be raised. Now, assuming another train to be coming from right to left in Fig, 1, as the block 12 engages the lever 4 adjacent the said train on the opposite side of the track the said lever will be depressed, and the bell-blocks 10 on the opposite side of the track will be elevated, while the lever 4 at the other end of that section will be raised. After the trains have thus moved along for a distance of about one-half mile the bell-operating levers 13 on each train will engage the raised bell-blocks 10, and the bell in the engineers cab will be operated, thus warninglthe engineers of the approaching train and allowing them ample time to bring their train to a stop.

In Fig. 6 I have shown a slightly-modified form of my invention in which the same is applied for use in connection with a switch to signal the position of the switch. In this form of my invention the switch-rod 20 connects with one end 21 of a pair of levers 22, which are pivotally mounted at 23 23 and have their other ends connected with a cable or chain 24, which passes over guide-pulleys 25 and connects at the other end with bellblocks 26 26, as shown. In this form of my invention the bell-blocks 26 are normally held to their depressed position by the springs 27 27, as shown. The bell-blocks 26 26 are arranged about one-half mile from the switch and on opposite sides of the main track, so as to operate the bell within the engineers cab of a train coming in either one direction or the other toward the switch, the bell-blocks being so arranged with respect to the switch as to be set when the switch is open, thus signaling the engineers that the switch is open and giving them one-half mile in which to stop their trains.

It should be understood that the trigger each section of my apparatus can be placed either more or l less than a mile apart, if desired and as conditions may require, and the bell-blocks can be likewise placed either more or less than an eighth of a mile apart, if found desirable.

In order to hold the triggers 4 to their depressed or elevated positions and prevent the same from shifting their positions when not operated upon by the train, I provide in each housing 3 a pair of spring-plates 3X 3x, having corrugated portions 3y 3y, in which nibs 4y 4Y on the triggers 4 are adapted to seat when the triggers are in the extreme position of their movement, as will be clearly understood by reference to Fig. 5.

My invention can also be applied to railway-crossings and the like, if desired, as the same will readily operate to signal trains coming in any direction whatever toward each other.

From the foregoing, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it is thought the complete construction, operation, and many advantages of my invention will bc readily understood by those skilled in the art to which it appertains.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a signal mechanism, a plurality of signaling devices arranged in sets, each set arranged end to end on each side of the track, the sets on one side of the track being arranged one-half length in advance of those on the other side of the track to overlap one another, each of said sets com rising a pair of trigger members fulcrumed or movement in a vertical plane, a lever fulcrunied for movement in a horizontal plane adjacent each of said trigger members, and connectingrods connecting one end of each of said levers to their adjacent triggers, a supplemental lever pivotally mounted for movement in a horizontal plane adjacent one of said firstmentioned levers and having one end connected to the opposite end of the adjacent first-mentioned lever, a cable or chain connecting the free end of the other first-mentioned lever to the free end of the supplemental lever, guide-pulleys for said cable or chain and a plurality of bell-blocks pivotally mounted for movement in the vertical plane and connected with said cable, means carried by the train for engaging said trigger members to operate the same, and signal-bell devices carried by the train having means for engaging said bell.- blocks to operate the same, all being arranged so that when thc first trigger member of a section is depressed, the other trigger member of that section will be elevated and the bell-blocks will be elevated, substantially as shown and described.

2. In a signal mechanism, a plurality of signaling devices arranged in sets, each set arranged end to end on each side of the track, the sets on one side of the track being IOO ` another, each of said sets com rising a pair of trigger members fulcrumed or movement in a vertical plane, a'lever fulcrumed for movement in a horizontal plane adjacent each of said trigger members, and connecting-rods connecting one endvofl each of said levers to their adjacent triggers, a supplevmental lever pivotally mounted for movement in a -horizontal plane adjacent one of said Jfirst-mentioned levers, and having one Aend connected to the opposite end ofthe adjacent first-mentioned-lever, a. cable or chain connecting the free end of the other rstc mentioned lever to the 'free end of the supplemental lever, guide-pulleys for .said cable or chain and a plurality of bell-blocks pivotally mounted forl movement in a vertical plane and connected With said cable, mean'scarried by the train for engaging said` trigger members to`operate the same, and signaling-bell devices `carried by the train'having means for engaging said bell-blocks to operate the same,

all being arranged so that When the first trigger member. of each section is depressed the other trigger member of that section Will Ibe elevated and the bell-blocks Will be elevated, said bell-blocks comprising elongated members, aA shaft on Which said members are mounted, bearings for said shaft, a crankarm secured' to said shaft and said cable, and a resting-block mounted adjacent to the bellblocks to limit their downward movement, all being arranged substantially as shown and described.

3. In a signal mechanism, a plurality of signaling devices arranged inV sets, each set arranged end to end on each side of the track, the sets on one side of the track being arranged one-half length in advance. of those on the other side of the track to overlap one another, each of said sets com rising a pair of trigger members fulcrumed lor movement in a vertical plane, a lever fulcrumed for movement in a horizontal plane adjacent each of said trigger members, a connectingrod connecting one end of each of said levers totheir adjacent triggers, a supplemental lever pivotally mounted for movement in a horizontal plane adjacent one of said firstl mentioned levers', and having one end connected to the opposite end of the adjacent first-mentioned lever, a 'cable or chain connecting the free end of the other first-men'- tioned lever to the free end-of the supplemental lever, guide-pulleys for said cable or chain and a plurality of bell-blocks pivotally mountedfor movement in a vertical plane and connected With said cable, means carried by the train for engaging said trigger mem- 2 i bers to operate vthe same, signal-bell devices carried by the train havingl means for engaging said bell-blocks to operate the same, all being arranged so that'when the rsttrigger member of each section is depressed the other trigger member of that section Will be elevated and the bell-blocks will be elevated, said bell-blocks com rising elongated mem'- bers, a shaft on W 'ch said members are mounted, bearings for said shaft, a crankarm secured to said shaft and said cable, ak

resting-block mounted adjacent to the bellblocks to limit their vdownward movement, and a housing for each of said trigger members having an aperture in its top through which the trigger member projects, substantially as shown and described. i

` 4. In a signal mechanism, a plurality of signaling devices arranged in sets, each set arranged Vend to end on each side ofthe track, the sets on one side of the track being arranged one-half length in advance of those on the other side of the track to overlap one another, each of said sets comprising a pair of trigger members fulcrumed for movement ina vertical plane, -a lever fulcrumed for 'movement in a horizontal plane adjacent each of said trigger members, and connecting-rods connecting one end of each of said levers to their adjacent triggers, a supplemental lever pivotally mounted for movement in a horizontal plane adjacent one of said first-mentioned levers and having one end connected to the o posite end of the adjacent first-mentioned ever, a cable or chain connecting the free end of the other firstmentioned lever to the free end ,of the supplemental lever, guide-pulleys for said cable or chain and a plurality of bell-blocks pivotally mounted for movement in -a vertical plane and connected With said cable, means carried by the train for engaging saidtrigger members to operate the same, signal-bell devices carried by the train having means for engaging said bell-blocks to operate the same, all being arranged so that When the first trigger member of each section is depressed the other trigger member of that section Will be elevated and the bell-blocks Will be elevated,

said bell-blocks comprising elongated members, a shaft on Which said members are a resting-block mounted adjacent to the bellw blocks to limit their doWnWard movement, a

housing for each of said trigger members hav- IOO IIO

IIS

ing an aperture in its top vthrough Which the trig er member projects, and means Within the ousing for locking the trigger member` to the limit of its movement in either direction, substantially as shown and described.`

STEPHEN ROMAIN. Witnesses:

I f `Aueris'in PIERRE,

CnLEsTIN GLAProN. 

